It was a Saturday afternoon, we didn’t have a game plan, we just drove up to the location we were given. We drove through parts of New Hampshire we never really heard of & didn’t really see much of anything going on. We arrived to our Getaway House , Lorraine, our cabin escape for the next 24 hours. (all the cabins are named after grandparents)

Getaway offers a retreat from our busy day to day, it’s truly a place you can go to unplug & recharge. You can rent a cabin for up to 4 people AND the best part is they are dog friendly. I’m not sure if this trip was more for Ricky & I or Audrey. They have different posts a couple hours or less outside of major cities. We traveled to the Epsom, NH post. Literally, it was kind of in the middle of no where. There were different trails & a brewery near by but we kind of just stayed in.

There are no TVs or Wifi but each cabin comes equipped with a deck of cards, radio, & books. When we walked in we were greeted by a cute little note & bark box. The cabins are also stocked with provisions for an additional charge but nothing is more than $10. Ricky & I took Audrey for a walk around the camp sight as the other paths were snowed over. After we just kind of relaxed for the rest of the evening, reconnecting with each-other, little to no phone use. I did snap some pictures in the beginning but other than that no blogging, instagram, work, or email. It was just what our minds had ordered.

For dinner we hit up the provisions & made some pasta. While, I cooked Ricky started our fire. We ate dinner fireside & obviously had some s’mores after dinner while Audrey explored our site feasting on icy snow chunks.

Getaway boils it down to 3 simple steps:

Plan your trip

Sit back

Just be

Sure, we could have done more exploring. Maybe go to the brewery but we opted for the forest bathing route which is simply taking in the forest for healing purposes. It was truly amazing. Society now is SO busy, most of us work full-time jobs on top of having “side-hustles” not to mention that everyone is glued to their cell phones. It was just nice to go back to the basics for the weekend to recharge. We will definitely be going back!

I do have a coupon code to share with you all for $25 OFF your stay with Getaway House, GIGI25 ! Well, I hope you all enjoyed this post & seriously book a trip for yourself. I’m sure you’ve seen it on social media but I highly recommend it.

Hello, lovelies! I hope this blog post sees you well! One of the things I’ve been continually trying to work on this year is self-care. I’m that busy bee always trying to do everything running around on the hot mess express. I’ve been working towards maintaining a balance & keeping my namaslay strong!

Are you like me? Fear not! I’ve got your answer to a simple daily self-care routine, the cariPRO electric toothbrush by Smile Brilliant ! Believe it or not using this toothbrush 2 times a day everyday has made me feel SO much better. I mean I was using a basic manual toothbrush so this was a major upgrade. It is super affordable too starting at $119.

There are 5 different settings: clean, whitening, massage, gum care, & sensitize. Typically, I switch between each setting for different reasons. I’ll start with clean to get all the gunk off then I’ll switch to sensitize depending on how my teeth are feeling. Massage I’ll use for my tongue, whitening & gum care are a little more obvious. There is a brief pause each 30 seconds which is to indicate to switch to another quadrant of your mouth. Ideally, you’d want to brush for 2 minutes 2 times a day.

If you haven’t already I would highly recommend trying this electric toothbrush for yourself. Using an electric toothbrush is healthier booth for your gums & removing plaque. It also helps accomplish for a bright & whiter smiles. Clean teeth are happy teeth!

I’ve been using this toothbrush for about a month now & absolutely loving it! This is something simple that I do daily that has contributed to my self-care initiative. When you eat healthy & workout you notice a difference. Using the cariPRO has given me the same care except for my mouth!

Anyway, there is an opportunity to win one of these for yourself HERE! AND I have a coupon code for you: fashologytb20 for 20% OFF! Enjoy :)

Happy Monday babes! I hope you had an awesome weekend. You asked for it so here it is, my everyday skincare routine! I get lots of comments on my skin being “dewy” so I’m sharing everything I use on my dry face. To be honest, about 90% of my skincare products are CLN&DRTY while the other 10% is First Aid Beauty !

Let’s start with the morning routine, this is where the bulk of my routine takes place.

CLN Face Wash $32 : This is a foam wash that I typically use in my morning in the shower to get my face ready for the day.

Balancing Rose Toner $24: After my shower when I’m prepping my skin for makeup I start by using the balancing toner to balance the redness in my dry skin. I’ll dab some on a cotton ball or makeup pad & go over my skin.

Verdant Lash Serum $54: Now the lash serum isn’t necessarily skin related but it defiantly has been lengthening my eye lashes & giving them more volume. I apply this like liquid eye liner everyday after the toner.

C-Serum $38: This is my secret weapon! I’ll apply this after the lash serum. This helps increase the brightness of my skin. (Hello, dewy look)

Lavender Coffee Eye Roll $28: I don’t always use this but if I wake up & I clearly have bags under my eyes (like today, post super bowl) you bet I’m applying this to my face. It’s simply a roll on which I will do in-between the C-serum & moisturizer.

Night Products

As I mentioned earlier my night time routine is a lot less than the morning. Sometimes I’ll throw on a mask but these are the 2 products I use on my face every night.

Luxury Makeup Remover $28: I make sure to give this bottle a little shake to mix the ingredients then proceed by dabbing some on a cotton ball to remove my makeup. This stuff works SO well!

Luxury Anti Aging Cream $56: After I remove my makeup I’ll apply this luxury anti aging cream. It is buttery so I don’t need to use too much!

Well there it is, my skin care routine! I’m going to try to capture it over the next few days in video form so you can get a better idea. CLN&DRTY offers “systems” so you can get some of these products bundled. I also have a 20% off CLN&DRTY full price coupon code which is: FASHOLOGY20 ! They are also doing gift wrapping for Valentine’s Day just make sure you order by end of day 2/5 (TOMORROW)! Well babes, I hope you enjoy the rest of the week!

Happy Monday my babes! Let’s defrost by traveling through my second week in Portugal. My family, husband, & I had an awesome first week adventuring in & around Lisbon. This second week we headed south to Algarve (the southern region of Portugal). This area is home to Lagos, Faro, Albufeira, Sagres, & so many more little towns. This week for us was planned to be more relaxing & chill than the first. We rented a beautiful home with a pool in Albufeira about 15 minutes from the beach & downtown area, This was about a 3 hour drive from Lisbon.

It was my first time visiting Algarve, the natural beauty of the limestone formations all throughout the coast is breathtaking (pictures don’t do it justice). Downtown Albufeira is right on the beach, filled with restaurants, & bars. The nightlife is booming & there are people in-front of the bars & restaurants selling you to come into their place of business. This was something I wasn’t used to. I also noticed a lot of tourists from all of Europe. It was the last week of September & the weather was still perfect to go to the beach.

We arrived late afternoon on a Sunday we settled in & went downtown for dinner. The food throughout this second week remained the same with a variety of fishes & meat in my favorite dishes. Not being so close to downtown we picked up things at a local market to make breakfast at home in the mornings.

Our first adventuring day we headed to Lagos where we took a little boat tour of the limestone formations. We saw some historic sights from the water like a Roman bridge, little water pockets, & made out images like an elephant. Lagos is about a 30 minute drive from Albufeira, we had lunch there & headed to Sagres (about a 45 minute drive from Lagos). Sagres is the southern most part of Portugal. We went to explore the fort which is a huge maritime museum & includes a light house. It is literally a top this huge cliff & the sight is just stunning, miles & miles of ocean.

The second day trip a handful of us did this week was go to Sevilla, Spain! The drive was about a 2 hour drive from Albufeira. We rented bikes & rode around this fabulous city taking in all the sights. This was my first time to Spain & this little taste gave me the desire to visit again. This was a great active day which ended with beers for the guys, rosé for me. To be honest, I enjoyed the rosé more in Spain than Portugal it was drier whereas in Portugal it tasted more buttery (if that makes sense).

The rest of the week was spent at the beach! We went to Praia de São Rafael & a couple others. The waves were great for body surfing. The last day I bought a blow up swan to surf the waves for only 15 euro, I named her Alexandria. We enjoyed the sun, played beach soccer, ate prosciutto sandwiches, & sipped fruity beach drinks like piña coladas.

Algarve was beautiful & relaxing. It was so great to just spend time with my husband & family soaking up the rays not thinking about the responsibilities back home. Vacation is such a valuable thing & it’s important to keep your sanity. We all work so hard it is nice to take time off to recharge.

Well babes, this concludes my Portugal vacation. We drove back to Lisbon & flew out on Saturday back to our dog, Audrey. It was a wonderful 2 weeks, we made a lot of memories & it was a trip to remember forever. Where will Ricky & I head next? We have been talking London, I’ll keep you posted. Till then tell me where some of you favorite vacations have been, I want to hear!

Hello, beauties! And happy Monday! Welcome to the first post of 2019! I’ve been wanting to get you a recap of my trip to Portugal for some time & now is the perfect time to help us warm up. I’ve had the pleasure of traveling to Portugal quiet a few times, my mum was born there & moved to the States in 1981. We still have family there making this country near & dear to my heart. This trip was super special because it was my husband’s first time & I went with my entire family (9 grown adults, not too many dysfunctional moments #blessed). I’m very close to my siblings & it was the first time we’ve been in our favorite vacation spot in SO long. Anyway enough of the back story let’s get to it, shall we?

Our total trip was a duration of 2 weeks, 1 in the Lisbon area & the 2nd in the Algarve. We flew in & out of Lisbon. I’ve spent some time trying to figure out how to deliver this to you & I think the best way to break it up was by the weeks.

Week 1 we spent in the Lisbon area. The majority of our family is in Lisbon but there is this beach town right outside Lisbon about a 15 minute drive of the 25 de April Bridge, Costa de Capirica. We rented a couple of apartments a short walk from the beach through AM Palma . We’ve been renting apartments from this family for years, they aren’t anything “sexy” but the location is great. Like I said just a walk away from the beach or the boardwalk filled with cafes, restaurants, & shopping. We were even able to watch the fishermen bring in their fish almost every night!

The first day was spent settling in & recouping from jet lag. Day 2 I started with a run, torrada com manteiga (toast with butter), & a strong coffee. We hosted our Portugal family for a lunch of chicken, rice, potatoes, & french fries with salad. After hours of good food, conversation, & espresso. A few of us headed into Lisbon to see my Titio (uncle) & Avo’s (grandfather) favorite soccer team, Sporting play. It was very interesting there was no alcohol served in the stadium, there was plenty of tailgating at bars & alcohol trucks but everyone was relatively calm compared to attending a sports event here. This was the day we discovered prosciutto flavored chips which were game changing.

Day 3 we spent time at the Tower of Belém & the Discoveries Monument. It is one of my favorite places in the city. The view is breathtaking as it is right on the water not to mention the world map in-front of the Discoveries Monument made out of cobblestone. There is also a beautiful park & the Jeronimos Monastery which is simply beautiful. I wasn’t able to enjoy this day as much as the slipped disk in my back was acting up, I was down for 1.5 days. Another spot I highly recommend but wasn’t able to visit because of my back is Pasteis de Belém which has the best pastel de nata I’ve ever had.

Day 4 I spent in bed on foreign muscle relaxers at the care of my amazing husband while the rest of the gang enjoyed Sintra, the colorful castles. After getting some much needed rest Day 5 we went to the wonderful village of Tomar. The castle here is absolutely stunning housing a portal to the 5th dimension, many monks, & the Knight’s Templar. The structure & details are just amazing. After browsing the castle we walked through the town, enjoyed the park, & an afternoon drink. If you have been following me for some time you know I don’t drink beer, just not my cup of tea. I found myself drinking a lot of rosé & caipirinhas (straight up sugarcane alcohol that goes down way too easy) for dinner red wine or sangria.

Day 6 we headed to Sesimbra for some more castle chasing & amazing seafood. This castle wasn’t as restored as Tomar but was still cool to check out plus the view of the ocean was absolutely stunning. For lunch we had this amazing crab drip followed by sardines with veggies.

The 7th day of vacation was my sister’s birthday! We ended up just hitting Lisbon for some shopping & exploring during the day specifically around Chiado. During the evening we attended a Fado performance which was under a park that we visited frequently growing up in the water cistern. Fado is soul music of the Portuguese it literally gives me goosebumps it’s so moving. We then enjoyed a lovely family dinner at an Alentejo inspired restaurant.

It was a great first week full of exploring, good food & drink, espresso, adventure, & family. I am missing it dearly & would highly recommend paying this beautiful country a visit! With all the walking I tried to stay hydrated with water as much as I could & also brought a banana with me everywhere we went. Breakfast was typically toast or a croissant filled with ham & cheese. Lunch & dinner where a mix of my favorite fish dishes either salmon or sardines or meat which was either a bitoque which is steak with an egg or pork Alemtejana which is pork with clams.

We hopped around with a couple of rental cars but I’ve also taken the public transportation many times by either bus, metro, cab, or boat. One my favorite moments was being with my husband & family grabbing a glass of rosé in a park over looking the beautiful city of Lisbon.

I hope this post gives you a good idea of what it’s like & inspires you to go! Next week we’ll chat about our week in the Algarve, it was my first time there to that area so stay tuned.

Hello, beautiful! Happy Friday! Last week my friend, Lauren & I had the pleasure of attending The Urban Nutcracker at the Boch Center Shubert Theater. This is the 18th year of Tony Williams’ show & the first time that live music has been incorporated into the scenes. Sure, you’ve probably seen the traditional Nutcracker but the Urban Nutcracker is a lively twist incorporating a variety of music & dance.

Entering the theater Lauren & I grabbed a glass of champagne with a peppermint stick at the concession. As we sipped on our holiday treats & the show began we were impressed by the jazz marching band that opened. More than 150 dancers of different backgrounds including ballet, tap, jazz, & more took the stage. Being a sucker for fashion facts, there were over 120 costumes made!

The role of Clarice was renamed to “Ruby” in memory of Williams’ late aunt. The setting takes place in Boston, they have even worked in the Citgo sign! You can expect beloved favorites like the waltz of the snowflakes & the sugar plum fairy with an urban maybe even tap or jazz twist. The way it ended completely melted my heart. I won’t ruin it for you but, you’ll have to go see for yourself! Make sure to catch one of the last 4 shows, listed below:

Whether you attend with a friend like me or go with your family you will be guaranteed a good show! Make a night or afternoon of it by heading into the city & grabbing something to eat as well! Being a ballet, tap & jazz dancer myself growing up this performance inspired me to pick up dancing again. The Urban Nutcracker is a fabulous multicultural performance that has become a Boston holiday time must do.

Hello, lovely! I hope you are well. This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the King Richard’s Faire. If you are from Massachusetts or are familiar with the town of Carver I’m sure one of the things that comes to mind is cranberries & their bogs. But every year starting Labor Day weekend & going through late October is this hidden gem of a fair. As you may now because you’ve been following along I am from Plymouth (think the pilgrims), the next town over. I have actually never been to this event but had always wanted to go. This weekend I finally had the chance to attend with my sister, brother-in-law, & husband.

What a blast from the past! If you aren’t familiar the King Richard’s Faire is a Renaissance fair filled with shops, shows, & other entertainment based on that time period. The people watching alone is entertaining, even guests show up in full costume. We spotted a couple knights of the Templar. Now there were plenty of people dressed in your everyday clothing as well. I tried to wear something that would kind of fit in like my studded Steve Madden boots but I had to buy a flower crown at one of the shops to complete my look.

There is no shortage of food & drinks. Once you purchase your food/drink tickets there are so many options. To eat you can go traditional renaissance by chomping down on a turkey leg or go modern day with chicken fingers, fries, sandwiches, etc. Wash it down with a soda or adult beverage. There are stands scattered throughout the grounds at which you can get beer or wine.

We watched most of The Mud Show which the actors claimed they were funnier with my drinks in you. It was a comedy skit which two actors had a competition featuring mud & dirty jokes. We definitely got some good laughs. We also watched one segment of the jousting competition. It seemed like they were done in episodes. We caught the time slot where the jousters fought but were about to fight for their death to become the ladies knight. The queen & king ha mad an appearance here.

There is so much more to do & see. There is a castle you can visit, face painting for the kids, acrobats, musicians, & a few other shows. It was definitely a fun day. Feel free to check it out for yourself! The last day of the King Richard’s Faire is October 21st. Go & let me know what you think!

Hello, beautiful! I hope this blog post sees you well. My week is off to a great start & I hope yours is too! Social media isn't all it's cracked up to be. Behind every perfectly curated feed is a whole lot a mess to get there. I have been at this blogging thing for almost 4 years. I don't have +10K followers nor am I an Instagram model. Just a lady with extensive fashion knowledge trying to spread the good word while helping you establish a wardrobe you can confidently conquer your world in. My following has grown but it is small yet mighty. I've never had to pay for followers or likes which could be considered a mistake by some. What I'm trying to say is there is no right or wrong way to blog. I don't have all the answers & I am certainly not perfect. Through my journey I have personally experienced some things that have hurt my brand so I'm sharing them with you today & how I fixed them!

1. Taking a Collaboration that didn't fit my brand

I feel like the general census when starting with a blog is that you will take any brand collaboration you can get. I know I felt this way. This isn't necessarily the right thing to do. Sure free stuff is enticing but will your audience be into it? Is this a product you are proud of & can stand by to suggest to your following? I want to say it was either my first year or second blogging I partnered with this small website out of NYC called, Clubbing Girl. Now they did have super cute accessories that were not really "clubbing" material. But if you have been following me for some time you probably get the sense you will not find me at a club.

How to fix this? Only accept brand partnerships that align with you, your brand, & your audience. Think about whether or not you would recommend the product to a friend.

2. Tagging the Wrong Person in a Post/Photo

This is SUPER embarrassing & actually happened to me recently like with in the past month or two. I had gone to a conference back in April & met a lot of people. Well I'm better with faces than names so I accidentally tagged the wrong person in a picture post. Honest mistake but not one I really want to keep making.

Luckily, I noticed it & it never came up so I simply untagged the wrong account. My biggest piece of advice to you is that if you are unsure don't tag! Or just do further research so you can tag the correct person.

3. Posting without a Purpose

Not sure if you have noticed or not but I have been a lot more active on the website & on our social media platforms in the past 7 months. I kind of had a wake up call in January. I took a webinar which in a figurative sense smacked me in the face. The webinar challenged you to think of what you offer your readers. It hit me like a ton of bricks, I had gotten into the habit of just posting outfits & talking about them opposed to offering you real, relate-able, & applicable fashion advice that you come to me for. First, I just want to say I am so sorry about that! As you know I work full time on top of this so it is easy to get in a blogging slump.

I turned this around by intentionally posting. Every post from the birth of it's concept is planned with a purpose to give you advice that you can use in your everyday life.

Well babes, that's all I've got for you today. I have had a lot more mistakes throughout my blogging journey but these are by far the biggest. I hope you can learn from me! If you aren't interested in blogging at all just keep in mind that I am human no matter how "nice" my pictures or feed look. (chances are there are a million bad pictures behind each good one)

Hello, beautiful! Happy Monday! If you were following along on Friday waiting for your weekly dose of Fashology you probably are already aware that we had some technically difficulties. To start the new week we are back up & running ready to grab life by the beans!

Today I want to share with you my new favorite skincare line, CLN&DRTY ! The owner, Paula Hoss is a compete & total boss babe. She is a mompreneur raising her two adorable girls with her husband, Paula is an all around inspiration. Her & I actually met through our church. CLN&DRTY is an all natural skincare line offering items from deodorant, face masks, makeup remover, & so much more!

Paula generously gifted me with an orange lavender deodorant, clarifying mask, glow mask, charcoal scrub, & luxury anti-aging cream. I went live on instagram last week we'll applying one of the masks, I mentioned that although I was gifted these products I have been posting nonstop (past our brand/influencer agreement) because I love these products that much. All opinions are my own girlfriend, I wouldn't steer you to a product I didn't believe in.

Now that we cleared the air let's break down my skin. I have had dry skin my entire life. I typically have leaned towards cheap drugstore brands full of fillers which weren't helping my skin. Honest, I did a photo-shoot once & a makeup artist straight up called me out for it. That is when I begun a personal movement to start taking better care of my skin. I had been eyeing CLN & DRTY for quite some time.

We shall now proceed to the portion of this post were I will breakdown each product for you.

Summer Solstice Lavender & Orange Deodorant! Okay I'm going to share something a little personal with you, I have very sweaty pits. More recently with this whole blogging thing I have decided there is no shame in my game, I'm going to be 100% with you even if that includes going to IG live to put this stuff on my pits (which I real life did). I have tried all sorts of deodorants the medicated stuff, the spray kind, etc but I settled for BAN you know the green packaging. I kid you not the first time I put on this all natural stick my pits were dry ALL DAY LONG! Highly recommended!

The Glow Mask! This includes turmeric & carrot to brighten your complexion. This mask works so well even my husband noticed with the first use. When I initially opened this I was a little taken back by the color & texture probably because I didn't know what to expect. I put this on at night for 15-20 minutes, washed it off, & applied some anti-aging cream before I went to bed. The next day my skin had a visable natural glow!

The Clarifying Mask! This is to fight acne featuring sea clay, coffee, & tea tree. It smells amazing. I'm a sucker for a good mask. The clarifying mask is perfect for regular use to help keep the skin clear. This mask I applied also for 15-20 minutes, rinsed off, & applied the luxury anti-aging cream.

The charcoal scrub to your left is made up of charcoal, clay, & tea tree also with acne fighting powers. I would suggest using the clarifying mask 2 times a week & the other days I would recommend this scrub. Like any scrub its gets sudsy cleansing your pretty face.

Lastly the luxury anti-aging cream. I like putting this on before I go to bed after any mask or scrub. When using this a dab will do ya!

Well lovely I hope you enjoyed this post! Don't forget to use our code for 20% OFF at CLN&DRTY, 20FASHOLOGY at check out. Today 8.9.18. we are doing a giveaway for a $50 gift card to CLN&DRTY so check it out HERE ! Till next time!

Hello, beautiful! I hope your week was fabulous. Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? I don't & I'm going to soak it all in. Sometimes you just need some rest. Anyway enough about me, today we are talking about how to perfect the fun bun.

I have very thin & fine hair so I need to look to this foam donut for some help to make my fun bun look full. If you have thick hair this post will help you get the perfect ballet bun. I typically wear my hair down but when I am in a rush or have gone one too many days without washing my hair I'll do my hair like this.

And there you have it! You'll be able to conquer your office or barre class! It's a super easy way to look put together when you don't have a lot of time. I hope this post has given you some good ideas to bring into your hair routine!

Hello, babes! With Mum's Day around the corner I thought it would be cool to shoot with my mum. I remember as a little girl I thought my mother was a super hero. She never cracked under pressure as I aged I realized that she is human like all of us & became more aware of life. My mother is the most driven, determined, & inspiring people I know. She moved to the USA when she was 11 from Portugal, by listening to Abba & Elvis she learned English. My entire life I have looked up to her & continue to do so. Every holiday I struggle to come up with what to get my mother. What do you get the woman that has everything?! My siblings & have done the typically bag, flowers, make dinner, etc etc etc. This year I wanted to do something a little different, a spa day.

My mom & I are similar in a lot of ways one of which being we drink a ton of coffee. This among other factors can make our pearly whites look not so white. In this spa day kit I have included a Smile Brilliant Kit! I had such great results myself & I know my mom would appreciate it. You can catch my initial results here ! It is recommended that you whiten 3-4 months. This go around I whitened for 1 hour each day for a week. Here are my results. To give you a quick refresher you are given molds to make your tray, whitening gels, & desensitizing gel. Whiten first desensitize after but do not brush with tooth paste in between, water is okay.

My mom values keeping her pearly whites white so what better way to whitening together! People that whiten together, smile together. Not only will my mom get the gels but a little spa day at my house. We will enjoy some tea before whitening then get down to business with face masks of course! No girls day is complete without magazines & chick flicks. It is a really nice bonding activity. Your mother gets pampered, you get to spend quality time together, & have fun! We might just get a little crazy & throw some nail care in there as well.

Moms are selfless & need to recharge too so a gift of self care would be much appreciated. What are you thinking about getting your mom? I have partnered with smile brilliant to give you $20 off a kit when you use my code: FASHOLOGY20MD ! You can also enter the giveaway her for your chance to win! Enter here!

I hope your mommas & all the mommas out there have an amazing Mother's Day. You all are all the real MVP's. Talk soon!

Hey, babes! A little over a week ago I flew to Raleigh, North Carolina to meet up with 45 ladies that I only knew through little Instagram squares & DM's. I left that weekend with 45 boss babe blogging sisters & filled with inspiration. A lot of people don't get blogging, sometimes I think my husband doesn't understand but he tries. I feel like there is this misconception that bloggers are self centered, want just 5 minutes of fame, & love selfies. Well to be honest I hate having my picture taken, I want to change this negative misconception of dressing, & I only have 3,000 followers on Instagram. It's so much more than what people think (but who doesn't love a good selfie once in a while)

The blogging industry is pretty saturated but we all have a story to tell & there is room for all of us. This was a major theme of the weekend. Bloggers have become a way for brands to market which they prefer to celebrities which we learned during the brand panel. (I'll get into the specifics later)

I got to my hotel room in Raleigh at 11:00pm on a Friday night. I had worked all day & hosted an event the night before, I was pooped. I stayed at the Sheraton downtown which was literally only a 4 minute walk from the Cannon Room where the Style Collective Conference was held. The venue itself was so beautiful, bright, & opened which was great for all the learning we were doing. I arrived to SCCON Saturday morning mocha latte in hand & had the opportunity to meet some of my social media besties in real life. It's kind of funny, you refer to each other as your Instagram handle names & squeal like a little school girls "It's so nice to meet you in real life". My husband has definitely made fun of me for that before. The weekend of learning & empowerment kicked off with a Influencer panel which included Holly Boyd , Keke O , & Courtney Inkpen which was moderated by AdrinaRose . I think the nugget that really stuck out to me most was to delete any apps that I had to track who was following or unfollowing me. I had 2 apps that showed me such things & it does get you down. When I deleted them it felt kind of freeing. Also staying genuine to yourself, finding your niche, & posting daily is the key to finding your tribe. We were also encouraged to pitch brands no matter how small we are. After taking all this in we had some photo booth fun.

Which was followed by the founder, CEO, & total boss babe of Style Collective, Annie Spano's workshop. She helped us narrow down our mission & vision statements along with discovering our authentic selves. This workshop was deep. We looked at our past experiences good or bad to understand our stories to help define our purpose & values. Some of my values include faith, honesty, compassion, respect, & growth. Which brings me to my mission: empowering women to live life confidently one closet at a time. I envision a world where women can lift each other up fashionably instead of tearing each other down. To say this workshop was a doozy is an understatement. Any time you have to do soul searching it can be intense but so insightful!!

We broke for lunch & on to our next workshop, Content Planning & Writing Emotional Headlines that convert with Jessie Undorfer. You know that saying "by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." ? Well this workshop stressed the importance of looking into the future & really methodically planning content. It literally gave us an entire calendar through the end of the year. The second half of this workshop we learned about EMV. Do you know what that is? Because I certainly didn't. It's Emotional Marketing Value & each headline has a percent anything above 40% is solid. The website they suggested was Coschedule , it is literally game changing. (this post scored a 57%)

After a day full of learning it was time to eat & party! A group of us went to St. Roch for some amazing oysters then to the after party where Kendra Scott had a pop up shop! We laid our full brains down to rest just to get back to the grind the next day.

Sunday begun with the brand panel which I had mentioned prior. Angel from Beam Collective, Sarah, & Jordan both from Kendra Scott where there. My biggest takeaways from this was that when pitching brands they like to use the word "partnership" in email subjects to make it more personable & collaborative. Along with giving metrics, numbers don't lie. They also reiterated that the fact that brands aren't looking to work with just huge influencers but influencers that have a real following with a sense of community.

Our next workshop was Media Exposure, brand deals, & leveling up with Amanda Berlin PR Strategy Expert & Annie Spano. We dove into different types of media exposure & took a test based on our personalities to see what kind of media would fit us best. I got digital print & television. The ladies also covered pitching to brands which is something I definitely need to work on. When pitching you want to keep it simple. Starting off with a compliment to the brand is always a nice touch then introduce yourself & develop a connection. Tell the brand how you could serve them to reach their goals, back it up with your metrics, & close it out with a call to action. I always feel awkward about pitching myself but it is apart of the gig & I need to go outside my comfort zone.

The last & final workshop of the session was about podcasts with Courtney Bentley of Fit, Fierce, & Fabulous podcast & Annie. I had been thinking about starting a podcast for a while & this has inspired me. Podcasting gives you a voice to your community so they can put a voice to the face. They are to inspire others & to meet amazing people. It all starts with defining your objectives, picking a topic, & crafting your intro! The same pitching method above applies!

This was literally the most inspirational & encouraging weekend of my entire life. They even treated us to a trolley ride around downtown Raleigh as a send off! I've been a Style Collective member for a little more than a year & it has helped me so much! They have so many resources & e-courses that you can use. Not only that but you are involved in a community with such wonderful women. In a world where females tear each other down it is unique & powerful that you can find people you bond so much with through the internet. Anyway if you are a blogger I hope that you gleaned some useful information from this post. (Sorry it was a long one) If you are just a reader yourself maybe you got inspiration to start your own blog or at least realign with your core values & purpose.

Well babes, I thank you so much for reading along & following my journey. I'm so blessed to be able to start this little positive vibe tribe & be apart of a movement that inspires women to live life confidently. You can find out more about the Style Collective Sisterhood here! They will be offering a digital ticket so you can get the entire weekend if you are having serious FOMO.

Here are some other articles from boss babe's that were there if you would like to read more :)

Hi loves! It’s FINALLY that time of year again. You know the time that happens at the end of every semester. Yes, you guessed it, it’s finals time. As we are gearing up towards the end of the semester the work load is increasing, we are getting less sleep every night, and our some of us are losing our minds. There are some steps that over the years I have learned on how to stay calm and organized which leads to a successful end of the semester. If you follow my steps (or at least adapt them to fit into your lifestyle) I promise you will get through finals week and will be sunbathing on the beach in no time.

The first step to a successful finals week is to stay organized. This step is vital because without organization it can be easy to become overwhelmed and forget about important assignments. I tend to forget about my assignments very easily. Between six classes, a part-time job, and an internship you can imagine my planner looks hectic. I suggest keeping planner with all due dates written out in advance. This can be done in the beginning of the semester using the syllabus and adjusted as you go. This will help to not leave you with a big pile of work at the end. I also suggest using a wall or desk calendar color coded for each class. It is easier for you to glance at quickly and see what is due when. If these two organizational tools fail, you must resort to notes in a common place that you will see (phone or whiteboard) and alarms which is what I resort to when it gets too crazy for me.

Another suggestion that I have found to help with finals week is creating study guides or using one of my all-time favorite study tools Quizlet. Some professors will provide these tools for you but if not, it is up to you to create one. I have never learned material quicker than I do when using Quizlet, so I am always suggesting it to fellow students.

Step three would have to be to get your finals schedule as soon as you can and make sure it does not conflict with any prior engagements including work. This goes for the week before finals as well because time needs to be set aside to focus on studying and assignments. Taking off work or switching shifts to ensure you can focus on studying is important.

Tip four is to ensure that you’re eating right and staying hydrated. This time is stressful for most students and they put their work ahead of their health. If you are not eating properly and taking care of your body, then you risk becoming sick or not being up to par when the day of your test comes.

Lastly, do not forget to leave time for yourself! It can impair your ability to retain information if you over study, so it is best to study when you have a clear mind and don’t over do it. I always put sleep as a priority over my school work. I truthfully believe if you are not at your best then you will not be able to do your best and thus far my theory has been extremely successful as I have never had to pull an all-nighter and my grades have not suffered from sleeping a proper amount. Put away your work, turn on Netflix, and relax!

That is all the tips I have for you guys! I’m hoping that by sharing my success in school I can help those who may struggle or have a difficult time at the end of the semester. I feel the stress myself but by following my steps I have always had a successful finals week (so far that is). If you’re no longer in school my steps can be translated into your busy work schedule as well. Many workaholics follow the same patterns that students do during busy times in school and these are important steps to being successful in that part of life too!

Hello, lovely! I hope your week is off to a great start. Today we are going to put the fashion on the back seat & get a little personal. We are talking forgiveness which has a common misconception of weakness. Personally I think a forgiving person is a stronger person.

I'm sure you can think of a time or two (or a million) when someone has hurt you. A big one for me is one of my parent's infidelity which resulted in abandonment issues. Other things that come up just off the top of my head quick are other people's ignorance or just completely selfish acts. At one point in my life I would deal with the hurt in completely unhealthy way like leaning on a relationship but when that relationship fell apart so did I. For the most part I deal with it in a much healthier way but I'm only human.

I want to chat with you today about the healthier approach. It was only recently maybe a couple of years ago that I changed my thinking about forgiveness. I had a meeting with my mentor which my abandonment issues came up again she said to me something along the lines of "Forgiveness doesn't mean that you have to forget it but forgiveness gives you freedom." This has stuck with me since. Like I had mentioned earlier sometimes its easier to remember this than other times but it had changed the game for me. Forgiveness sets you free. Forgive whomever it is that has hurt you. 1. They probably don't even know that they hurt you 2. It may not make a difference to them & they'll most likely continue to do whatever they want. When you forgive you don't have to forget but maybe set up boundaries to protect yourself & your heart.

When I changed my attitude about forgiveness to align with freedom, I was able to start chipping away at all the things that I had built up. Rome wasn't built in a day but I definitely have a sense of peace that I didn't always have. Maybe you read this article & already were aware of this or maybe you read this & your mind was blown just like mine. I honestly hope it helps just one person.

Hello, beautiful! I hope this post sees you well. With going on 2 years in our first home I thought it could be beneficial to share some of my first time home buying tips based on our experience. Just like most things in life buying a home is beautiful & chaotic. I hope you can glean something from my tips below :)

1. Like who you are working with- Honestly this could seem like a no brainier but it is SO important. You will be working with your realtor A LOT. You will be in meetings & going on countless tours with them. You want to be able to connect & vibe. Another person you'll want to feel comfortable working with his your mortgage broker. You will be spending some time with them for sure. I think anytime you are doing business it is important to stick to your values & work with people that are inline with that. I wish I could tell you I loved our experience but that just wasn't the case. Buying a house is the biggest investment of your life & you want to work with people that understand & take the time to do everything they can for you.

(Side story: I was on a confrontational phone call with my mortgage broker right before a training for work. I go to the training a little irritated & the people at work thought I was mad I had to be at that training LOL)

2. Don't get discouraged- Keep the faith & know that whatever house is meant to be will be. We looked at about 8 houses before making an offer on ours. Let me tell you looking got frustrating. We would literally find a house online, call our realtor to get a walk through, & when he would go to set up a showing that house would be off the market later that day. Another stressful thing for first time home buyers is getting your mortgage. Getting pre-approved for a loan is the easy part, you don't have that house until you have your commitment letter from the bank. Our closing date got pushed back literally I think 3 times because the bank was dragging their feet with our commitment letter. Then they come back & told us that Ricky needed to find another job that wasn't a contract. (He was working for FEMA at the time) Anything could go wrong in the process at any given time & it can get stressful but know that everything happens for a reason.

3. Have at least 3% down for your deposit- As newly weds we didn't really have the luxury of putting down the 20% to avoid PMI (private mortgage insurance). You can put down 3% as a first time home buyer just be prepared to add a couple hundred dollars to your mortgage every month for PMI.

4. Get the sellers to pay closing costs- Closing costs I believe are $500 typically this is the responsibility of the party that is purchasing the property. On top of paying for the inspection & the deposit we wanted to see if we could work having the sellers pay for the closing costs. This was apart of our purchase & sale agreement.

5. READ!! Okay my last & final point it is so important that you read everything. I felt extremely rushed when reading our purchase & sale. We had to sign 2 because with Ricky having to get another job our closing date got pushed back. In our first purchase & sale included that the sellers would keep the washer, dryer, & fridge at the house. Well the second one left that out, which I wish I had caught but was "promised" it was the same exact agreement. So when we did our final walk through before closing we found that those items were missing. This is by far the biggest purchase of your life you want to make sure everything goes swimmingly.

Alright babes those are my 5 tips based on purchasing my home in MA. There is a first time home buyers course in MA but we over qualified so we were not able to take it. But based on friends that have, I think it is worth looking into. I believe that most of these tips are applicable for any state but I would check the deposit & closing cost depending on where in the country you live. I do also recommend searching for your home in spring more options pop up but keep in mind so does the interest rate.

Hello, beautiful! I hope this post sees you well. This past Saturday my intern, Julia & I had the pleasure of shopping the new & improved Paper Store in Plymouth, MA. They moved into a bigger space in the same shopping complex Colony Place if you are familiar. I did some Christmas shopping at the prior location & they were bursting at the seams. This new location has more room for comfortable shopping.

The event had warm chocolate chip cookies from Panera, giveaways, & balloons! We started the morning with coffee, ofcourse.

We rounded up some of our favorite finds:

1. Pure Vida: I have been eyeing their rings. Julia & I both got one. This cute little wave ring is sterling silver AND only $14!

2. They had the perfect mermaid inspired product from pillows to wine glasses for you or your favorite beach lover.

3. Rustic Marlin Designs: These wooden signs are beautifully made & come in a wide variety!

4. We spotted this adorable makeup bag "I came, I saw, I contoured" for the glam gal.

5. I'm a sucker for anything Massachusetts related. I have a couple friends that once lived here & moved out of state. This candle would make the perfect gift to remind them of home!

6. The Paper Store has grown their ladies accessory & apparel section over the years. They have even developed their own line, Mia & Tess ranging from everyday wear to athleisure & the prettiest finishing touches.

7. Honestly I wish I was getting married again because they had the most beautiful table of bridal product. Don't worry I will be picking some items up closer to my bestie's wedding in June :)

8. For the babe that enjoys some relaxation they had a great selection of lovely smelling bath bombs!

Whether you are shopping for yourself or someone else The Paper Store has many items to offer. It is truly a one stop shop. I ended up purchasing a pure vida ring, yankee candle, workout leggings, & a cute sweatshirt (it's actually in my hand to the left). Julia left with a pure vida wave ring & the pucker up glass pictured above. Well babes we had a blast & hope you enjoyed our round up.

Hello, beautiful! Today I wanted to share part of my testimony & my personal experiences with you. Like half of the population my parents are divorced, they split officially during my sophomore year of college. Growing up my parents didn't show affection & they argued a lot, this is what I thought a relationship should be like. Needless to say they are better off not together. Before they officially divorced they were on & off for four years. This begun with the discovery of an infidelity. I'm sure you can imagine that I developed some serious trust & commitment issues. If my parents couldn't work it out & one of them was unfaithful how could I possibly be capable of having a good relationship.

Obviously I'm married now so I've overcome my commitment & trust issues. But it wasn't easy & it took sometime. Before Ricky I would date people & leave them for the littlest of things. A year into Ricky & I's relationship I could tell things were getting serious, I was afraid of this. I was afraid of getting attached & scared to be left. I had this mentality that I would rather leave first than be left. Any time we would get into arguments I would say I would threaten to leave.

It didn't occur to me that this wasn't right until Ricky said to me that I shouldn't say I was leaving unless I meant it. Obviously I love & care about him so much that I decided it was time to work on my inner self. I turned my hurt into faith that it was all going to be okay & that if something went wrong God would take care of it. I came around to understanding that just because my parents had gone through what they went through didn't mean I was going to endure that.

Understanding that truth & having faith in the fact that if anything ever did happen it would be taken care of by a higher power more powerful than myself. This fact set me free of my commitment & trust issues.

I leave you with Philippians 4:6-7 "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs & don't forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts & your hearts quiet & at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus."

This is what helped me get over myself & if it only helps one person that would mean the world to me. Well dolls, till next time.

Hello, beautiful! Sorry for the radio silence. I didn't think it was going to be as difficult as it has been to adjust to my new day position. In the midst of adjusting & the holiday craziness I was able to attend the Next on Scene holiday pop up! I'm breaking down my favorite vendors which I hope help with last minute shopping.

Leila Laura offers scrubs that help restore your skin & help sooth your mind, body, & soul. The divine radiance scrub is rose infused which is energizing to the body.I would recommend this as a gift for someone that needs a "spa" night in. Plus the packaging is super cute.

Leila Laura-Divine Radiance Scrub

For the Sweet Tooth- End Bakery

Based out of Somerville they make the yummiest treats like these maple pecan bars. End Bakery specializes in comfort deserts including delicious apple pies. Email them endbakery5916@yahoo.com, order something as a gift or to bring to holiday dinner.

Either get her a grab a gift card or one of their many fabulous pieces. I went to their Newbury pop-up shop later in the week & picked out a great bomber jacket! They have chic velvet jumpsuit perfect for any holiday party. Pick up a gift for you or someone else!

Anyone would be happy to receive any of the gifts under the tree! I hope this gave you some great gift ideas.

Hello, beautiful! Okay I've been neglecting this website, whatever I'm human. It has been super crazy with work & my personal life. To be honest I am feeling a bit run down. The hubs & I are off to recharge our batteries in Aruba. I am trying to pack for one week in a carry on so I thought it would be an appropriate time to share my packing tips!

1. Know your Destination and Itinerary

This may seem basic but it is key to prevent over packing. Research your destination’s weather. It is important to know what weather to expect because this will determine what clothing you will be bringing. When visiting New England during the winter one would bring heavy clothing like wool and denim. Since I am visiting Aruba the weather will be 85 degrees which means I can bring lighter clothing and a denim jacket. Knowing your itinerary is also important. This is a list of things that you will be doing throughout your trip. A traveler planning on going rock climbing would wear active gear while a business trip would consist of professional clothing. I love to make lists and if you are anything like me I would recommendmaking a list of everything you plan to bring; clothing, accessories, shoes, and toiletries.

2. Clothing Selection

If you are also anything like me you will experience the urge to bring your entire wardrobe “just in case”. These tips are designed to suppress this feeling. With the research completed in the first tip choosing the clothing to bring should come easier. I would suggest for every bottom bring at least two tops to go with it. To prevent wrinkles and create more space in your luggage I suggest rolling your outfits together. To avoid over packing stick to a versatile color story, I like to pack neutral garments and colorful accessories to give my travel ensembles a pop of color. These accessories typically include scarves and jewelry which are an easy pack.

3. Shoes and Undergarments

I know you probably just read that title and thought shoes and undergarments, what an odd combination? Let me explain. Instead of packing your shoes in another bag, line them along your luggage. This will eliminate extra bags and will still give you room for your garments. Socks and other things store inside your shoes! Another fabulous space saver.

4. Hanging Organizer

I highly suggest that everyone invest in a hanging organizer. This one is Vera Bradley but other brands make them as well. It was definitely one of my smartest purchases. My hanging organizer contains my toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, hair supplies, hair tools, make up, and other toiletries supplies. Even when I am not traveling I hang it on the back of my bathroom door to stay organized.

Well fash dolls I hope that you found these tips & tricks helpful. As always thank you for reading & safe travels.

Hello, dolls & guys! Happy Monday! I had the pleasure of interviewing Almost Owen.

Songwriter/Producer Almost Owen has been quietly grinding it out, waiting for his moment. Since moving back to the US from India where he worked as music teacher from 2013-2014, the 26 year old has played nearly 500 shows. He’s toured massive music festivals in Panama, theaters in China and India, intimate sets at UNESCO in France, and beer soaked clubs in his native Boston, MA. He’s also written and produced songs for other artists, taking time to hone in on his own sound and message. Gearing up to release his own projects, Almost Owen is ready to show everyone exactly who he is.

Almost Owen: I am! I used to release music under my given name. I'd went to book shows with my band, my good friend and longtime collaborator (who will remain nameless) would excitedly post about it on social media.

Sadly, he would more often than not horribly misspell my name. I started to think that if my closest friends were having trouble, I'd be doomed when it came to people who didn't know me.

My parents almost named me Owen. I also think there's something cool and aspirational about almost being something.

Gigi: Where do you get inspiration for your music?

AO: I write best when I'm moving. New environments breed new perspectives, and a rekindled sense of wonder about the world. That's the place that I always want to write from.

Gigi: Do you write all the songs?

AO: Yes! I write, produce, and play *most* of the instruments on my records. I also have a number of close friends who I cowrite with for my project. I wrote "What You Do To Me" with my buddy Julian Beechko at his apartment in North Hollywood.

The next video I'm putting out is a song I wrote called "Tell Me What You Want". It features some amazing singers and musicians so stay tuned.

Gigi: How many instruments can you play & what are they?

AO: I sing, play drums, and a bit of piano and guitar. In third grade a learned a little bit about the recorder - but found it pretty unsatisfying (and a little silly), and haven't touched it since.

Gigi: Tell me about your experience shooting at Converse.

AO: I loved it! Converse has this really cool program called Rubber Tracks. They'd select artists and give them free studio time.

I have a pretty solid recording studio in my home. It isn't pretty though. I decided the best use of our time there was to make a video.

I got my crew together and we played two songs. I'm planning on turning this into a pretty regular thing - I'll definitely keep you posted!

Gigi: Where is your favorite place to play?

AO: Wallys Jazz Cafe in the South End was the first bar I ever went to. I think I was like 12 years old. I have a long standing love affair with that place.

Other places I like a great deal - rated from rowdy to tame: Capo, Great Scott, The Lizard Lounge.

I play Wednesday nights at Luckys Lounge in Southie, as well as Fridays and Saturdays at Ocean Prime in the Seaport.

AO: I'm embarrassed to say this - but I'm not so sure these days! I don't think work/life balance is a thing that really exists for artists.

I have been low key learning how to paint. I suck at it, but am getting better little by little.

Gigi: Who are a couple of your musical idols?

AO: There are so many! Growing up I was obsessed with Bob Dylan, The Band, and the Beatles. I was also crazy about Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.

More recently, I've been listening to a lot of Anderson. Paak (gotta show love to drummers who sing), and am lucky to have a bunch of contemporaries like Nick Hakim, Daywave, and Thirdstory that are totally killing it right now and inspire the hell out of me.

Checking out Almost Owen is a definite add to your summer bucket list. Check them out on social:

To be honest relationships used to scare the 💩 outta me.⠀
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Getting close to someone sharing EVERYTHING 😳 Good, bad, indifferent. Being vulnerable 🤮 Just wasn’t my thing. I forgot where I heard it but one day my ears received this, “When you start loving yourself, you will be able to truly love another.” 🤯⠀
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Game changer for sure ✊🏻 My idea of relationships was twisted based on life experiences. But relationships are hard, they are work, & sometimes the person you love does something to upset you. How you handle things is a conscious decision. You can throw it away or maybe it’s something you can work through together because it’s worth keeping. (Obviously if something is toxic & dangerous throw it away) I was once so afraid of getting hurt by everyone. But when I started loving myself & having a little faith all of that changed 🖤⠀
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📷 @scorreiaphoto⠀
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#selflove #selfworth #relationships #love #blessed #engagementphotos #life #goodvibes #positivevibea #vulnerable #tulleskirt #fashionblogger #stylwblogger #stylecollective #bostonblogger #bossbabe #girlboss #empowerment #peace #loveyourself #reflection #weddingwednesday #heart